People of faith: US should help poor adapt to climate change
An oft-overlooked question in the climate change debate is what should be done to help the people who are most affected adapt to the destructive environmental changes it’s already causing. Droughts in Africa and floods in South Asia are increasing in severity, adding new hardships for already-poor people who are least responsible for climate change and whose survival depends on adapting to these extremes.
Fortunately, majorities of Americans — including people of faith — are aware of this and believe the US needs to act now to address it. A new poll, sponsored by FPL and Oxfam America and conducted by Public Religion Research, reveals that:
- Majorities of Americans, including majorities of Catholics, Mainline Protestants and Evangelicals, believe dealing with climate change now will create new jobs and help avoid more serious economic problems in the future.
- Nearly 7-in-10 (69%) Americans and similar numbers of Catholics, Mainliners and Evangelicals agree that climate change is making it harder for the world’s poorest people to support their families.
- Approximately three-quarters of the general public and similar numbers of Catholics and Evangelicals favor helping the world’s poorest people adapt to food and water shortages caused by rising global temperatures.
Click here for full poll results — there’s plenty more info of interest.
These findings are helping fuel a broad effort to encourage undecided Members of Congress to support climate change legislation that includes significant funding for adaptation efforts and measures that will help low-income Americans with energy costs and energy efficiency. A new media campaign promoting these aims — including ads in key districts in Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Virginia and Ohio and emails to over 5.3 million evangelicals and Catholics in Georgia, Florida, Alabama, and North Carolina — is launching this week, as legislative action heats up. (UPDATE: pardon the pun.) As the climate crisis pushes the poor to the brink, the time to act is now.